University of Nottingham research partnership results in new industry tech

Tess Egginton
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University of Nottingham research partnership results in new industry tech
A partnership, which paired researchers from the University of Nottingham with a UK tech company, has produced a highly advanced power converter to drive an electric motor that could revolutionise the manufacturing and renewable energy industries. For the past five years, researchers from the university have worked closely with digital motor control solutions company, Sprint Electric, to develop and prototype the Generis AC regen drive – set to be the next generation in AC drive technology. Launched at the Smart Production Solutions (SPS) exhibition in Nuremberg, one of the most highly regarded international trade fairs in the field of smart and digital automation solutions; this leap in innovation has been made possible thanks to two Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) between researchers at the University of Nottingham’s Power, Electronics and Machines Centre (PEMC), and Sprint Electric. The aim of a KTP is to connect businesses that have an innovation idea with the academic expertise to develop new products or services, expand markets, and improve efficiency and productivity. In Sprint Electric’s case, it fully embraced the collaborative opportunity, establishing a base at the PEMC at Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus. Dr Azlia Abdul Rahman, a PhD graduate recruited to lead the KTP, said: “I was based at these premises for the duration of the second KTP, which meant I was right there in the thick of it and involved at every stage of the research and development lifecycle. “I worked closely with Associate Professor Liliana de Lillo as the main academic supervisor, while Professor Pat Wheeler, Head of the PEMC Research Group, oversaw the project. Liliana was part of a wider team of researchers supporting me in transferring the theoretical knowledge the company needed to develop the technology. “Training Sprint Electric’s staff, documenting everything we did, and writing technical reports was just a fraction of my work – to all intents and purposes I ‘joined’ the company for two years to help make this happen.” Sprint Electric has been manufacturing variable speed controllers since 1987, traditionally specialising in the control of DC motors. With the help of the University of Nottingham it has removed the need for a DC link in the AC drive, offering several advantages over conventional converters, such as higher efficiency, faster response, and two-way power flow. One of the main applications of matrix converters is in renewable energy systems, such as wind turbines, solar panels, and fuel cells. Mark Gardiner, Director of Sprint Electric, said: “Our experience with KTPs has been a wholly positive one. Not only has it quickly and effectively embedded understanding of a complex technology in our business but it has also established a relationship with the PEMC group that I am confident will continue to deliver benefits to both parties in years to come.” While KTPs may initially seem like consultancies, where a company hires an expert to advise and guide them through a project or period of transformation, there is more to them. Andrea McCluskey, Business Development Officer for KTP at the University of Nottingham, said: “KTPs meld the theory from the academic side with specialist knowledge and expertise from within a business. “What they have achieved will absolutely transform Sprint Electric as a company, and part of the electronic motor industry as a whole. Not only will it give them a significant competitive advantage, but it could also completely change the landscape for other businesses now and in the future.”

Gove intervenes with new homes masterplan by council

Tess Egginton
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Gove intervenes with new homes masterplan by council
A crunch council meeting about Erewash’s future was halted last week after a dramatic 11th hour intervention by Michael Gove to ban the borough from revamping its overall development strategy. The “extraordinary” meeting at Long Eaton Town Hall (Thursday 30 Nov) had been called as the council’s new administration moved to fulfil an election commitment to change a long-running masterplan – including for new housing. The leadership had branded it out-of-date and unsuitable. The new administration aimed to come up with a fresh blueprint. Housing Minister Lee Rowley fired off an urgent letter to Erewash’s leader James Dawson on behalf of Secretary of State Mr Gove. It contained an order that Erewash should stick to working on the existing plan. Mr Rowley cited powers the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is able to exert under Section 27 of the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act. He confirmed: “The Secretary of State is exercising his powers.” His letter warned of further action unless the council backed down over altering what is known as the Erewash Core Strategy Review. The council, which claims new housing is slated to be built in the wrong places, now plans to seek legal advice.

‘Hardest working personal injury solicitor’ in East of England promoted to partner

Michael Fisher
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‘Hardest working personal injury solicitor’ in East of England promoted to partner
The largest law firm in Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire has promoted two home-grown lawyers to partner, increasing the support available to individuals suffering from catastrophic injuries and employers experiencing commercial fraud. After a combined 32 years of experience practising law at Wilkin Chapman, Nick Shaw and James Kinnaird have been promoted to partners at the leading regional law firm. Both men are credited by name in the recently launched UK Legal 500 2024 – a leading directory widely recognised as a de facto list of the best law firms. In the rankings for 2023 and 2024, of which Wilkin Chapman is recognised in sixteen separate categories, Nick Shaw is described as “the hardest working personal injury solicitor in the East of England”. Similarly, they describe James Kinnaird as a “technically brilliant commercial litigation lawyer.” Both solicitors joined Wilkin Chapman straight out of school and were fully supported by the firm throughout their part-time studies, while also working full-time roles, to qualify as chartered legal executives and ultimately become solicitors. Nick Shaw joined Wilkin Chapman in 2006 after graduating from Lincoln College. He has spent the last 17 years working at the firm’s Lincoln office, gaining practical experience and being supported in undertaking specialist qualifications to further his career. Nick said: “I’m very proud and excited to be taking on the role of partner at Wilkin Chapman’s personal injury and clinical negligence department in Lincoln. “Whether it’s the UK’s hardworking military personnel or our agricultural workers – which is recognised as one of the most statistically dangerous industries in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – I look forward to furthering the firm’s important work supporting people with life-changing, catastrophic injuries in these incredibly dangerous areas.” “I haven’t taken the most conventional path to become a partner, but Wilkin Chapman has nurtured me from day one. It has encouraged me to learn as I earn, instead of going to university. I’ve been hands-on, experiencing the law and its evolution in real-time. “This to me proves that there really are no barriers to what you can achieve – if you have the right support and the right mentality.” James Kinnaird joined Wilkin Chapman in 2008 and has spent 15 years building his knowledge of commercial litigation to support businesses across the country. He said: “I’m thrilled to be accepting the position of partner in Wilkin Chapman’s commercial dispute resolution team at our Lincoln office.  I look forward to continuing to support businesses, directors, and shareholders when they get into disputes with other businesses or internally with each other. On his high court employment specialism, James said: “whether companies are struggling with the misuse of their confidential information, a breach of restrictive covenants or unlawful team moves (a team of employees resigning to work for a competitor), I’m here to provide critical support for this niche area of law.” Senior partner, Andrew Holt said: “This is a huge personal achievement for them both. Nick and James are what you might call ‘home-grown lawyers’, having trained and worked in the firm to reach this position. We saw their potential, supported their career progression and we’re delighted they are joining the partnership.”

Rotherhill completes lease re-gear for Meggitt Plc

Tess Egginton
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Rotherhill completes lease re-gear for Meggitt Plc

Midlands-based property developer Rotherhill has completed a lease re-gear for UK aerospace manufacturer Meggitt Plc’s facility in Shepshed, Leicestershire.

Meggitt has occupied the site on Gelders Hall Road since its construction in 1987 (previously as Cobham Composites), with buildings extending to 48,845 sq ft set upon 3.8 acres. 

The original agreement made in February 2022 was for a 3.25-year leaseback in order to allow Meggitt to relocate to a nearby site.

Following the takeover of Meggitt by US manufacturer Parker Hannifin Corporation in September 2022, Rotherhill agreed terms for a lease re-gear of up to 11.5 years. The terms of the lease re-gear also allowed for the release of development land, enabling a future industrial development of circa 30,000 sq ft.

Ed Jeffrey, associate director at Rotherhill, says: “We are delighted to have completed the lease re-gear with Meggitt and that they have chosen to commit to the location for the long term.

“The new agreement enables us to bring forward land for future development, whilst improving the rental return on the existing buildings and extending the duration of income for up to 11.5 years from an excellent covenant.

“It has been satisfying to develop a long-term relationship with Meggitt, working flexibly to accommodate their requirements whilst generating value for our investor partner.”

Rotherhill director Paul Bagshaw adds: “Our experience and sector knowledge allows us to take on investment and redevelopment opportunities with short term income. By proactively working with the current occupiers, we’ve been able to meet their requirements and achieve a positive and favourable outcome for all involved.”

Rule change allows advice and funding for the region’s tiniest SMEs

Stuart Pearcey
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Rule change allows advice and funding for the region’s tiniest SMEs
Made Smarter East Midlands has announced that the programme eligibility criteria are being changed to include manufacturers with headcounts of nine people or fewer. Since its launch a year ago, the East Midlands Made Smarter Programme has been open only to SME Manufacturers in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire,  and Greater Lincolnshire with headcounts between 10 and 249 people. With immediate effect the programme will now accepting expressions of interest from micro sized manufacturers Made Smarter East Midlands now offers the following support to micro manufacturing businesses in Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Greater Lincolnshire through the national Made Smarter Website https://www.madesmarter.uk/

•  Digital Road Mapping – A lighter touch road map is available to Micro businesses, which will set out a Digital Implementation Plan.

•  Access to 10 hours of fully funded Industrial Digital Technology Advice (IDTA)

•  Grant funding to support CAPEX and revenue projects.

Programme Director Dr Chris Owen said: “We can now expand the scope of the East Midlands Made Smarter programme to thousands of micro SME Manufacturers across the region. Since we opened our doors for business in December 2022, we have had a healthy interest from micro sized manufacturers who are eager for support to adopt industrial digital technology but we have been unable to help them. “We’ll be reaching out to all those micro manufacturers who have already registered and expression of interest in Made Smarter East Midlands, and opening our doors to new expressions of interest from other micro manufacturers across the region. We have created a pathway of support specifically designed for micro manufacturers, which is quicker and lighter touch than the core programme, but still gives companies access to packages of free and impartial technical advice and grant funding of up to £20,000 to help them adopt industrial digital technology.” Alongside the new Micro manufacturer pathway the core programme will still continue to accept expressions of interest from manufacturers with headcounts of 10 to 249 people. In just one year, Made Smarter East Midlands has engaged with over 150 manufacturing businesses across the region providing much needed grant funding, free and impartial technical advice, digital transformation road mapping and Leadership Development. To find out more about what is available, visit the Made Smarter East Midlands website, where you can also express your interest and sign up to this fantastic opportunity https://www.madesmarter.uk/adoption/in-my-region/east-midlands/

Science staff step up to the plate helping Derby County charity give hot meal to hundreds of vulnerable people

Tess Egginton
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Science staff step up to the plate helping Derby County charity give hot meal to hundreds of vulnerable people

Local businesses have been invited to join science company Lubrizol in supporting a valuable Derby County Football Club-backed project giving a hot meal to hundreds of people struggling under the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Derby County Community Trust (DCCT) is marking a year of its highly valued project giving weekly hot meals throughout autumn and winter to people who are suffering for a range of reasons in a society that is currently seeing soaring food, energy and mortgage costs.

The scheme, which launched in November 2022, sees between 50 and 60 people a week invited through referrals to enjoy a hot meal prepared Derby County Football Club chefs. Businesses sponsor the cost of the meal and their employees are invited to volunteer serve it too.

So far the project – backed with city council funding connected with the warm spaces scheme – has helped feed hundreds of people throughout Derby, including families struggling to feed children in half term; Ukrainian refugees; members of the homeless community; people with dementia and many others.

Meals are served at Harrison’s Hub, a café space formerly occupied by Starbucks which is now run by the Community Trust to offer its wide range of activities.

Lubrizol, a global science company with a Derbyshire headquarters based at Hazelwood, is a corporate partner of Derbyshire County Community Trust and has also sponsored its STEM learning scheme involving Sphero robots which is being offered to Derby school children to teach them about computer programming.

The company sponsored one of DCCT’s community meals and employees Tom Grazier, Claire Hollingshurst and Rachel Ollier turned out to help serve it. All three are members of Lubrizol’s charities and communities committee which gives thousands of pounds to many worthy causes throughout the year.

Rachel said: “We really enjoyed coming down to Harrison’s Hub at Derby County Football Club to help serve one of these community meals. But it was also very sobering to appreciate the need that many people in our community currently have for a service such as this.

“On the night we sponsored, there were lots of people there and it was clear how much they were looking forward to having a hot meal. It would be great if more businesses could come forward and support this much-needed scheme.”

Now DCCT is looking for businesses to help support the scheme from early 2024.

Pete Collins, DCCT business development manager, said: “We get different groups of people coming each week to our meals, although we do have some regular people we invite from our local homeless community too.

“There’s a growing need for the service we are providing. There are lots of health inequalities in Derby, and lots of social and economic inequalities that we are seeing too, all of which were compounded through Covid.

“There are more and more people going down into the lower end of these social economic groups and these health inequalities. It’s a growing issue and it’s a concerning issue, involving more members of the public than people perhaps realise.

“We’re extremely grateful to Lubrizol who have supported not just one of our meals but also our Sphero robot programme too. Their support is wonderful.

“Being one of our trust partners and sponsoring a weekly meal involves being attached to a very community minded programme. We are looking for businesses to support us from January onwards.”

Should you hire an event videographer?

Tess Egginton
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Should you hire an event videographer?
Business events play a crucial role in fostering connections, showcasing achievements, and elevating your brand. As a business owner or marketer gearing up for a significant event, the question of whether to hire a professional event videographer may cross your mind. In this article, we explore the advantages of creating a high-quality video about your business event, and why entrusting this task to a seasoned video production company like Glowfrog can be a great investment for your business. Achieve more sales enquiries A professionally crafted video captures the essence of your brand, showcasing it in a visually compelling manner. When Glowfrog (www.glowfrogvideo.com) filmed Mercedes-Benz’s 70th Anniversary event in Bradford, the resulting video not only celebrated the milestone but effectively conveyed the luxury, sophistication, and heritage associated with the brand. This helped to showcase the dealership and achieve more sales enquiries following online publication of the video. Wider reach An event’s impact extends far beyond its physical venue when you hire a video production company to create an event highlights video. A professionally produced video becomes a powerful marketing tool, allowing you to reach a much wider audience than just the people who attended on the day. Professional image A professional video production company such as Glowfrog brings expertise in cinematography, editing, and storytelling, to produce a premium-grade event highlights video that reflects the high-quality of your brand or organisation. Your brand should be posting high-quality videos if you want to portray a professional image to potential customers. That’s why, for example, the University of Derby hired Glowfrog to produce an event highlight video for their employer celebration event. Hassle-free experience Planning an event is already a complex task. Entrusting the video production to a company such as Glowfrog allows you to focus on the event’s logistics while knowing that the video aspect is in capable hands. From conceptualisation to delivery, Glowfrog makes the entire process seamless. Your event, our expertise In conclusion, the decision to hire a professional event videographer is an investment in your brand’s legacy. Glowfrog’s experience in capturing the essence of events, as evidenced by the University of Derby’s celebration and Mercedes-Benz’s 70th Anniversary, speaks volumes about their commitment to excellence. When considering whether to hire a videographer for your upcoming event, think beyond documentation and more about how an event video could amplify your brand’s reach, connecting you with more potential customers. Don’t settle for ordinary; choose extraordinary. Choose Glowfrog Video Production for an event video that transcends expectations and propels your brand into the spotlight.

Over £1.5m of investment made in Loughborough student and graduate businesses

Tess Egginton
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Over £1.5m of investment made in Loughborough student and graduate businesses
Student and graduate-led businesses supported by Loughborough Enterprise Network (LEN) have gone on to secure £1.6m in funding during the 2022-2023 academic year.
The funding, which is entirely external to the University and made up from private equity, crowdfunding and grants, is one of several notable successes showcased in LEN’s annual impact report. Achievements across the 2022-2023 academic year include:
  • 1,466 students taking part in extra-curricular enterprise activities including coaching, workshops and networking
  • 184 students applying for funding to develop skills and help launch their start-up
  • Allocation of over £82k in start-up funding to students and graduates
  • 50% increase in female students applying for funding
  • Over 36 new businesses created through LUinc.
  • 330 people employed by student and graduate led businesses.
LEN brings together a support network across the University and beyond to help students, graduates and staff to develop enterprise and entrepreneurial skills and start, scale and grow new businesses. LEN’s Impact Report highlights a range of thriving businesses which have originated from and been supported by the University; these include a recipe search engine designed to combat food waste, a mental health fitness platform that helps athletes reach their full potential, an innovative patented product designed to support children with learning and movement disabilities and a collapsible, lightweight neonatal incubator that has saved the lives of thousands of premature babies. One of the businesses supported by LEN which was based in LUinc. is The Bug Factory, founded by Thomas Constant (Industrial Design and Technology, 2018). The Bug Factory manufactures eco-growing pods designed for people’s homes that harness insect power to recycle food waste and convert it into pet food and plant fertiliser. Winner of the 22/23 Innovate UK Young Innovators Next Steps Award, which recognises trailblazing young entrepreneurs, The Bug Factory’s products are now available in stores across the UK and the US as well as internationally online. The business has recently set up its manufacturing facility in the East Midlands. Professor Nick Jennings, Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University, said: “Loughborough’s commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation is at the very heart of our mission to drive positive change and create better futures. “Through LEN, we’re helping to develop a new generation of businesses that are improving lives, enhancing sustainability and creating jobs. “To have reached £1.6million worth of funding and investment is testament to the hard work of our incredibly talented students and graduates, as well as the wider innovation community, including our alumni supporters and other business champions, who all play a key role in helping these businesses to flourish.”

Duo of freehold sales completed in Colwick

Tess Egginton
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Duo of freehold sales completed in Colwick
The former Nottingham Powder Coating Premises and the former Dredging Tip Site have both been sold on Private Road No.4, Colwick, Nottingham. The former Nottingham Powder Coating Premises totals 14,794ft² and was situated on a 0.88 acre plot. The site was sold to Grover Brothers (UK) Limited whose plans are to redevelop the property to create a multi let estate/asset. The former Dredging Tip Site, which sold off market and totals 2.23 acres, was located at the end of Private Road No.4 and was purchased by Bio Dynamic UK Limited, an existing occupier of Private Road No.4 with ambitious future growth plans. “Both of these sales demonstrate the strength of the Colwick industrial market and that there is still a huge appetite within the market for freehold opportunities whether they be from owner occupiers wanting to expand and grow their business or investors,” said FHP Property Consultants. Anthony Barrowcliffe, FHP, who acted for the vendors in both sales, said: “We have some excellent opportunities currently in the Colwick area offering a variety of different options. In particular the very exciting Armitage Business Park which is being redeveloped by Ivygrove to create a multi let estate and is due to practically complete in April 2024. “We also have various options from Radford Holdings on Private Road No.2 and the prestigious Colwick Gateway development from Chancery Gate.”

East Midlands investment gap opening up as third of SMEs struggle to find the right investor

Tess Egginton
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East Midlands investment gap opening up as third of SMEs struggle to find the right investor
New findings from YFM Equity Partners’ inaugural Entrepreneur Economy report, a study of the 1.1 million entrepreneurial SMEs in the UK, reveal that 8% of the nations’ entrepreneurial SMEs are based in the East Midlands, contributing £82 billion to the UK economy. Entrepreneurial SMEs in the East Midlands are eager to scale up  Analysis by YFM Equity Partners and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) found that the East Midlands leads the UK in entrepreneurial SMEs using venture capital trusts to grow, with 16% of such businesses in the region relying on this funding source, compared to a national average of 13%. Many East Midlands entrepreneurs have also turned to private equity to access funding, with over a quarter (27%) of founders taking this route. Finding the right investor remains a key challenge  However, the report also highlighted the difficulties that entrepreneurial SMEs in the East Midlands had in raising investment, especially in comparison to SMEs elsewhere in the country. 37% said they found it hard to find the right investor, compared to 29% nationally. East Midlands entrepreneurial SMEs were also among the most likely (33%) to state they faced a lack of clarity on the best funding options for their businesses. Spotlight on regional success: Leicester  One particular East Midlands success story is the city of Leicester, which ranks ninth in the UK for entrepreneurialism and has the sixth highest ‘business to people ratio’: 6,057 businesses per 100,000 people. Leicester also boasts the eighth highest rate of new businesses founded between 2022 and 2023, with 607 businesses launched during that time period. Stephen Murray, investment director, YFM Equity Partners, said: “The East Midlands Entrepreneur Economy has great deal of potential. But, our report has pinpointed several barriers keeping local founders from scaling up their businesses. “Although it’s positive to see that many regional entrepreneurs rely on venture capital and private equity for funding, there are still severe struggles identifying the right investor and accessing the most suitable option for them. “It’s therefore of outmost importance that there is sufficient guidance and information available for them to make an informed decision based on their needs. “Receiving the right financial support is vital in the survival of the region’s businesses but it won’t be possible without improving access to professional capital.”
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